Impact Story: Inspiration Matriculation School, India
From a rented building with only 60 students and a faculty of three to a thriving institution with over 600 students and a faculty of 30, Inspiration Matriculation School* is defined by its “humble beginnings.” A former tuition teacher with a dream, Mr. Vadivel has dedicated his life’s work to providing accessible education to families in rural areas. Inspiration, a pre-primary, primary and secondary school in India, perfectly exemplifies these values.
In 2008, Mr. Vadivel first rented a small facility to open Inspiration with his personal funds. Following the sale of his family property in 2010, he was able to establish a proprietary building, which ignited notable growth in both student and faculty numbers. This not only solidified the permanence of Inspiration* in the community but also solidified Mr. Vadivel’s deep devotion to the academic prosperity of his school. At this point, 160 students were enrolled in school with 10 staff members. The key to his success? Accessibility.
Mr. Vadivel’s mission was to offer high quality education to rural families by accommodating their financial needs, truly embodying the “education for all” mindset. His Flexible Fee Payment Plan made fee payments easier for parents by permitting them to pay in installments. Through this marketing technique, the school was able to draw in more students. Due to the increase in student body size, a loan of 500,000 rupees from Varthana was taken to upgrade the overall infrastructure of the school, further signaling Mr. Vadivel’s dedication to constructing a conducive learning environment.
Flexibility in regard to payment is not the only way in which Mr. Vadivel has prioritized the role of parents. Parental engagement is fundamental in the academic achievements of students.
“Recognizing the vital role parents play in student success, the school actively sought ways to strengthen its partnership with families through the EduQuality program,” shared Mr. Vadivel.
Initially, Inspiration* struggled to include parents because, as is common in rural areas, they worked long hours and had limited time for school activities. With this, the Parent Community Engagement plan was enacted to bolster the inclusion of parents by adapting to their lifestyle. Strategies such as establishing flexible communication channels, parent-teacher meetings, Grandparents Day Celebration and consistent reinforcement of positive behavior and expectations were implemented. The school recognizes that not all parents could attend in-person meetings, so digital communication channels such as SMS updates and WhatsApp groups coupled with home visits function to keep parents informed about school affairs and their child’s progress. Short and organized parent-teacher meetings serve as a reflection of the mutual respect of both parents and teachers’ precious time, allowing parents to connect with their child’s learning while not sacrificing time that could be spent working.
Grandparents Day Celebration is another attempt to boost community involvement from not just parents, but extended family members as well. The day is composed of students and grandparents taking part in a variety of activities, such as storytelling, traditional games and cultural performances.
The emphasis of strengthening relationships outside of school is also seen within the school. Additional school development plans include a positive reinforcement system, where students are praised with small tokens of appreciation for good behavior and academic progress. This is supported by setting clear behavior expectations, both in school and at home. The impact from these different strategies has been strong, yielding a rise in overall parental participation, improved student behavior and a climb in enrollment. Collaboration with EduQuality has been instrumental to these advancements.
“[I was] introduced to the EduQuality program at a time when I was actively seeking holistic development for the school,” Mr. Vadivel said. “Through this program, I had the opportunity to network with schools from diverse regions, facilitating the exchange of best practices and school development strategies. This experience has significantly enhanced my confidence in articulating ideas and engaging with fellow academicians.”
EduQuality’s alignment with Inspiration’s* goals, professional development opportunities, collaboration with the community and improvement in quality of education were just a few of the many reasons for the school to join. By operating in clusters, schools are encouraged to use their unique experiences to address common challenges together and support one another in fostering the best possible academic environments. This enhances existing initiatives and inspires new ones, resulting in meaningful growth among school leaders, teacher mentors and most importantly, students.
Already, the positive outcomes are evident in classrooms. Teacher mentors have delivered training sessions to their peer teachers, focusing on new pedagogical techniques that EduQuality introduced, like more group work and hands-on activities in lessons. Teachers have also begun utilizing differentiating instruction, which allows them to alter lessons to best meet the needs to individual learners, particularly those who have struggled in the past. These practices have resulted in increased student engagement and test scores.
Inspiration* is more than just an educational institution, it is a symbol of the unwavering commitment leaders take to the bettering of educational opportunities for children. Since its inception, the school has rooted itself in its core beliefs: accessibility and education for all. Mr. Vadivel has done a phenomenal job at recognizing the importance of parental engagement and paving pathways for community building. His partnership with EduQuality has highlighted the excellent work that has been done and the excellent work that awaits.